Timing Procedure

[amk]

I need help in setting the correct timing for Ea82 (right hand Drive) anyone with some pics or something that can help.

Thanks.

[El_Freddo]

Hey amk

I'm not sure which timing you want to do: cams or spark but here's the two anyway, bear with me...

Spark:

The timing marks for this are on the flywheel. If you remove the spare tyre you will find a rubber bung/plug. Remove this too. From this view hole you will find the timing marks. They will be a series of lines with the numbers 20, 10, 0 , 10, 20. There will also be a letter above the numbers on each side of the zero. These will be A and B for "After" and "Before". These are for the side of "Top dead centre" (TDC) being the 0 mark. Mark these with chalk or something that will make them easy to see in the light.
For carbie EA82 you should be running at about 7 degrees BEFORE TDC from memory, Multi Port Fuel Injected (MPFI) engines run at 20 degrees BEFORE TDC (when timing a MPFI there are some plugs above the driver's feet. I think it's the green set that need to be plugged together to set the timing.), Use your timing light the usual way. There will be a little tab that sticks out, this is the pointer or marker.

Cam timing:
The cam cover under the alternator can be difficult to remove, removing the bash plate will help with access. Remove both cam cover ends, the middle section does not matter unless you need to replace a cam belt (in which case the fan belts will need to come off, the AC and alternator assembely will have to come off too most likely-> 4 bolts, one on the inlet manifold, one under the AC, one behind runner fan belt wheel (this needs to be removed too), one under and behind the alternator onto the head. This will lift both AC and alternator out togther on its frame for 1988 onwards.)
Again, remove the spare wheel and bung on the flywheel. This time on the fly wheel look for three little lines. Line the middle one up with the tab pointer.
Line the dizzy side cam up. To do this there is a little dot just under one of the teeth or dips on the cam gear. This will line up with a mark on the cam cover backing, it's a groove at the top of the cover. Line the two up and slip the belt on with the bottom of the belt being the part of the belt with tension on it. It will need a bit of work and struggle. Make sure everything is lined up properly (use a mirror, works a treat), if it's lined up tension the runner wheel bolts.
Now turn the engine over until you find those marks on the fly wheel again (only one rotation of the crankshaft though - the dizzy cam should be upside down).
Now line up the oil filler cam using the cam gear and cam cover marks. Slip the belt over the gear with the top of the belt having the tension. Check that everything lines up properly then tension the runner wheel bolts.
Replace cam covers.
Run engine , set the timing then go for a short drive to see that everything is right.

Tech Manual material?

[amk]

Thanks a lot i was looking for the cam timing, well i set the timing the car starts up once i go for a test it starts jerking it throws fuel from d carb (upwards) if I drive below 2000 rpm it goes off and jerks if I drive above 3000 rpm its perfect but when the car is on idle it seems that something is loose inside the engine I hoping is not a slow knock well this is what happened I was driving it was raining suddenly it wouldn’t come below 4000 revs i thought it was something small I drove home then checked, found out to be the driver side cam belt cut and all this mess started any clue what cud have happened or what’s going on.

[El_Freddo]

Check out the runner tensioner wheels, they're the smooth ones. I've heard these can seize up and then shreds the belt. That'd be the best bet. Otherwise if you have time (and can't turn the cam over) pull the cam cover off and have a look in there, i hope its just a runner, otherwise it'd be some head damage and a head removal will be needed.

When you do it, change both belts (its cheaper to buy two than buy them both individually) this way you know how old both of them are...

How'd the car run on the left hand bank only? I know the cam timing now cos i replaced the head gaskets on this engine i just cooked and had one of the cams upside down... it didn't run well at all but it would still idle with difficulty, we had to tow start it to get it going.

Keep us posted.

[amk]

I opened the cylinder head the valves are bent both inlet and exhaust I am lucky the pistons did not get damaged nor the cylinder head and its just been 2 weeks since I redid the entire engine I put a new cam shaft, bearings, conrods, all new the rings, new belts. Well I think since the passenger side belt did not cut that’s why the car was still idling but still lucky not a lot of damage has been done ill go tomorrow to get the valves. I was going through the performance options how do I achieve this “advance timing to ~12 degrees BTDC”.

[Gannon]

Did you say that you bent your valves?

I thought this was a non interference engine... have you got non standard pistons?

[amk]

Everything is std, may be because the belt snapped while i was driving, what is the proper cam timing?

[El_Freddo]

hey amk,

Just a question, do you have the original piston heads or a set of aftermarket flat tops? The original piston heads have small divets in them for the valves, this may be the bit of clearance that allows these engines to be non-interferance. I've just got an new set of bearings, rings, piston heads, shaved the heads etc... after this i'll be torquing up the block bolts. Point is that my new piston heads are .5mm oversize and flat top which makes me think that the engine may not be non-interferance with these changes...

I'd like to know if your engine has shaved heads and flat top pistons, otherwise i'd say something may have been in there to somehow bend valves (any marks on the piston heads?)

Cheers